The first scenario is "Probe at La Cambe" and sees the 29th required to exit a team from the German base edge. The Americans have a whopping 19 support points (though limited by having to have two Sherman tanks and a short support list) while the Germans have a hefty 12 support points. The Americans are attacking from the right with the Germans on the left:
Looking at the battlefield there is an awful lot of open ground for the Americans to cross. Unlike earlier in the war the Germans are well supplied with effective anti-tank weapons in their squads and a preliminary barrage is not an option for the Americans. Finally the Germans start with two CoC dice and the ability to use one dice to fire an off-table 88mm gun from off table positions on the American right. So, a difficult mission where it is hard to come up with much of a plan. The best I could think of was taking a third Sherman to make a full platoon and upgrade one tank to a senior leader then sitting back hoping to blow the Germans away with HE from the tanks. The first American squad deploys and the tanks move up:
A second squad deploys in the woods on the right aiming to move up into the house ahead of them:
The Sherman's advance further, still no opposition from the Germans:
Finally the Wermacht appear in the form of a forward observer and a squad on the left:
The German forward observer calls down a mortar barrage which immediately starts hammering the section on the American left. The Sherman's could respond with HE if the infantry Corporal commanding the adjacent squad can tell them where to fire. Unfortunately the Corporal is knocked out by the barrage:
Gaining a double phase the Americans try to rush forward their tanks. Two manage to get stuck on the hedge though:
One does manage to rush forwards but the Germans use a CoC dice to ambush it with a panzerschrek. At short range and hit from the side the tank immediately brews up. American morale is falling quickly and the mortar barrage is a real problem, killing more men and finishing off the injured Corporal
In desperation the Americans deploy their final squad in the centre and open fire on the German squad and observer. Firing at long range the Americans need to first get some hits, then hope for a kill, then hope the kill is an officer then hope the officer is the observer then hope he is killed rather than wounded. It is literally a long shot:
Get hits? Check. Get a kill? Check. Hit an officer on a 1? Check. Hit the observer on a 50% chance? Check. Kill him on a 50% chance? CHECK!!! Neither of us expected that and it immediately removed the mortar barrage. American morale was low but maybe there was still a chance?
The remaining Sherman's finally clear the hedge and advance:
More German's appear in entrenchments in the centre:
The American squad on the right belatedly moves up to the house:
In the centre the Lieutenant has deployed to rally an American squad that was taking fire from the two German squads. He is quickly hit by a German round and killed on the spot. The Americans are losing command dice:
It's looking rather hopeless for the Americans but at last part of the initial plan works as the Sherman's pound the Germans in the entrenchments with HE and HMG fire, killing all but three of them who break and run:
The Germans have one squad left and are going to need it on their right:
The Sergeant sends forward a scout team who move up behind the tanks:
The game is in a bit of a stalemate at the moment. The Americans still can't cross the open ground with their damaged infantry squads and the tanks are very vulnerable to ambushes from German hand-held AT weapons:
The scout's advance further but American force morale means that they can't afford to lose a team:
The command Sherman makes a dash for it! An ambushing Panzershcrek team misses with it's final shot. Maybe the tank will make it!
Sadly it almost does but is blown up by a Panzerfaust at close range from the last German squad:
American force morale is now zero so they are forced to retreat and think again. German morale was down to 5.
A hard-fought game where the Americans have to attack on a narrow frontage with little to no cover. In theory the tanks are great but they are very vulnerable to German AT weapons. The German's lost seven men reduced to three by the difference in force morale. If I'd disengaged after wiping out the German squad in the centre they'd have lost all seven as force morale was equal at that point, I thought about it but decided to press on.
The death of the German froward observer was entirely unexpected and but for that Gary would have won easily. His use of the extra CoC dice to ambush the tanks was a great idea and more sensible than trying to fire the 88's at very obscured tanks.
Back to the drawing board for the Americans, they will have to try again with 6 more support points but the Germans will have strengthened their defences and will be an even tougher nut to crack. I need a new plan.....
No comments:
Post a Comment